


Border Crossing

by AwayLaughing



Series: All The Days That Have Passed [24]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Moving On, Multi, Past Relationship(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-15
Updated: 2014-12-15
Packaged: 2018-03-01 14:10:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2775890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AwayLaughing/pseuds/AwayLaughing
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Different loves appear at different times in your life. Neji's learned that over the years, so it's a bit strange when he bumps into an old flame. Not that it should surprise him, Konohagakure isn't that large.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Border Crossing

**Author's Note:**

> Note: this has nothing to do with borders at all. The end note explains.
> 
> [Day 24 - An Old Flame](http://awayandlaughing.tumblr.com/post/68217772129/30-day-otp-challenge-for-the-fluff-impaired)

Neji and Shikamaru did not often go shopping together much less with Shikamaru's mother, but Nara Yoshino was a woman used to dealing with Konoha's brightest. She managed that with a combination of her own intimidating wit and an overwhelming sense of self that came with an indomitable will. Which was the reason Neji was trailing behind the woman, politely holding a bag of fresh produce as they walked through the early Saturday market. Shikamaru managed to keep step, despite it being very barely ten to seven, but Neji wasn't actually entire certain he wasn't both walking and sleeping.

 

Such a talented man.

 

In truth, Neji didn't actually mind this outing. Even the bag carrying. It wasn't like a collection of onions, root vegetables and carefully placed fungi were all that heavy, and the market was only middling busy and still bursting with colours and admittedly tempting smells. Yoshino had treated them to tea from a vendor and some sort of deep fried melon-pan stuffed with meat from a separate person. Shikamaru had deigned to fully waken for that, at least.

 

Apparently spinach, bacon and cheese stuffed into bread was more inciting than his lover or his mother.

 

That had been almost half an hour ago, and now Yoshino was bartering over half a pig while Neji studied a table full of everything someone needed to make explosives. He was, specifically, inspecting the paper on offer when a slim hand landed on his arm, squeezing gently. He turned, coming eye to eye with familiar warm copper irises set in an equally familiar if slightly older face.

 

“Long time no see, stranger,” the woman said, voice low and warm. The owner of the voice was a woman of above average height with thick red-brown hair she kept in a braid and coiled into a tight bun. Bangs were pinned out of her eyes and she was dressed in the sturdy but tasteful fashion many of the merchants in Konoha wore. The colours were bright, but not eye searing and fabric was obvious made to undergo wear and tear. “I can't say I was expecting to see you in a market.”

 

“I can't return the sentiment,” Neji said, “but it has been a long time, Kohada.”

 

“Five years, a lifetime for many of us” she said, stepping back to allow him space. She hadn't changed much in the last half decade, though she was certainly less muddy than she had been back when they were both working the refugee camps. “You look good, Neji. Shinobi work suits you well, I guess. Better than urban planning, at least.”

 

Neji offered a small grin at the old joke, “planning which puddles to cover with our limited supply of plywood isn't urban planning,” he said, “but my current duties do agree with me more.”

 

Not that Neji had resented his work after the war. In many ways it had been as rewarding as it had been heart breaking and soul crushing.

 

“Good,” she drew her jacket closed as they spoke, a nervous habit that was familiar despite the time since he last saw her. In fact, he vividly recalled the first time they ever spoke, the way she'd done the exact same thing, and the way it had contrasted with the righteous indignation on her face.

 

“ _You! Shinobi! I demand to see who is in charge here this is ridiculous,” Neji blinked at the woman in front of him, unsure why she was yelling at him when he was one of only four people standing between their supplies and destruction via-sink hole._

 

“ _If you're looking for the administrator, you're speaking to him,” he said at last, “I will assume you're Nishikori-san. I would offer to discuss your complaints but at this very second am a touch busy.”_

 

_That stopped her somewhat, and she grasped the edge of her soaked jacket, pulling it tight across her. The rain had been coming down without pause almost all week now, and the roads were showing the effects. Very clearly._

 

“I can tell,” Kohada now was much more pleasant, though she'd had a reason to be frayed and indignant back then. Being in charge of getting and coordinating supplies for three refugee camps wasn't a stress free job. Especially when most people didn't want to give you those supplies. “You're much cleaner than I ever thought I saw you.”

 

“Oh most certainly,” Neji agreed. It had felt like the mud was part of him, by the time he'd been stationed back in Konoha the autumn after his twenty first birthday. At least he'd left with a strong appreciation for plumbing, beds and walls in general. “What are you doing now? You didn't return to the sushi shop, surely.”

 

“No no,” she said, “well, yes, but I do other things too. I'm on the civilian council, I represent most of the food-based sales people. Suppliers, restaurants, everything in between,” she waved around them. “I help arrange this, make sure everyone has their license,” she smiled, causing crinkles to crease her eyes. It occurred to Neji she would be in her thirties now, but the tiny wrinkles fit her. “Would you believe sometimes it's harder than arranging things in the camps were?”

 

“Entirely,” he said, “comfortable people are much harder to push around. Especially when you can't drag me to negotiations,” she laughed at that, loud, clear and bell-like. A few people turned to look at them, but only briefly. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Yoshino turn to them, but Shikamaru was roused enough to pull her off toward whatever they were after. Neji returned his full attention to the woman before him.

 

“You were a good motivator for some of our greasier suppliers,” she said, hands travelling to her hips. “Speaking of. I have some noodle-makers who keep dodging health inspections, feel like putting the fear of the Hyūgas into anyone?”

 

“I'm afraid I rarely have the time,” Neji said, “this is one of the few weekends I've been home in,” he thought back briefly, “almost six months now.” She made a sympathetic noise.

 

“I know that feeling, even if I get to crawl into my own bed most nights it feels like everyone but me owns my hours,” she offered him a sunny smile, another thing he vividly recalled though only because it had been so rare. “If you're off tomorrow, maybe we could have coffee and catch up? Or dinner! I know all the best, most cooperative places. We can catch up.”

 

Neji chuckled, even as he shook his head. He'd noticed the lack of ring earlier, but that meant very little in the scheme of things. _He_ didn't and never would have a ring, after all. “I'm afraid I cannot, Kohada.” Her smile dimmed a little. He knew what she wanted, but the brief...thing between them had been born in very unique circumstances. Even that aside, nothing under this or any other sky was likely to tempt him from his current relationship. “I am spoken for.”

 

Her smile dipper further, but she rallied well, and the returning grin was genuine. “Well, I suppose after five years there must be some girl willing to put up with you,” she teased. “Coffee stands, though, if she's not the jealous type. And if you're comfortable with it, of course.”

 

Before he could answer Yoshino returned from wherever she'd drifted off too, a very put upon Shikamaru trailing behind her, carrying three bags. “Tea,” he promised, remembering their old debates. “Not tomorrow, but I'm sure if I ask around I can find you.”

 

“You can,” she agreed, “many people know and hate me around here. Have a good day, Neji.”

 

“You too,” Neji said, though he heard the subtext in her goodbye. _Have a good life_. And he genuinely wanted her to have one, too.

 

* * *

 

 

“So when did you two date?”

 

The question didn't surprise Neji, though the fact Shikamaru had waited until they were working on supper was interesting. Discussing ex lovers whilst both wielded knives seemed a terrible idea, even knowing Shikamaru wasn't a jealous person. And Neji wasn't prone to stabbing.

 

“We didn't,” Neji said, “we met while I was in the refugee camps. She was in charge of supplies,” well, that was the abbreviated version, but Shikamaru had hired her so he knew. “I suppose we just fell together given convenience and plenty of time together. And stress.” Shikamaru nodded, looking thoughtful.

 

“So when you say you didn't date are you being literal, or were you just occasional hook ups?”

 

Neji considered that carefully. “Both, maybe,” he said. “There was an emotional factors but it was largely due to where we were and what we were doing. We were alone, often unappreciated, generally in danger and always under mountains of stress. I doubt we'd have given each other the time of day if we had both been in Konoha.”

 

Shikamaru chopped up a few pieces of pork - Yoshino had gotten a price she was happy and now they had more pig than they'd ever need - before answering. “In another life you would be saying the same thing about me,” he pointed out. “If Suna had backed out of it's deal with Orochimaru our years teams and yours might never have been thrown together and we'd likely just be comrades passing each other on the roof.”

 

Neji immediately doubted it. He'd spent his whole life trying to achieve and be more than what he was told he could, should and would be. Shikamaru, in the nature of Naras everywhere, had tried to cling to the shadows. He'd been thrust into the light time and time again, however, and Neji doubted he could have ignored him even in a world where they'd not run so many missions as chūnin and in Neji's early jōnin days. Especially given Neji's disposition when younger.

 

“You have a way of sticking out, despite your attempts otherwise,” Neji said, “though admittedly I might not have liked you if all I knew was rumours about how you kept stumbling into prodigious spotlights. I probably would have despised you.”

 

Shikamaru chuckled at that, picking up his cutting board and Neji dutifully scooped some rice into a measuring cup and headed for the stove, but didn't say anything.

 

“You're not upset I was talking to a former lover, are you?” He dumped the rice into the pot, turning the heat down and covering the pot. He took note of the time before turning back to Shikamaru.

 

Shikamaru who looked somewhat surprised, if the arched brows and lack of frown was anything to judge by. “Not at all. I just hadn't put much thought into any of them, but they have to have existed. You definitely were not a virgin by the time we started up,” he flashed a grin at that and Neji tried to adopt an unimpressed look even if he just wanted to laugh. Especially when Shikamaru added an eyebrow wiggle.

 

“You are a child sometimes,” he chided gently, pressing a kiss to Shikamaru's temple as he passed to hunt for something else he could reliably make. “And _you_ were no virgin either.”

 

“Very true,” Shikamaru's voice was almost lost in the sudden hiss of meat hitting a hot pan. “I wasn't. You've met the only person I can really call an ex, however.”

 

That stopped Neji. “I have?”

 

“Before we started dating, but yeah. He was in charge of Intelligence while Ino was doing her training,” it took Neji a moment to call up a name and a face.

 

“You dated a man named Mozuku?” he asked, smirking. “Really?”

 

Shikamaru laughed, pushing the meat around. “I did. Though calling it dating is probably too kind to me. More like used him as an emotional crutch while he was too nice to tell me to fuck off.”

 

Ino had finished her training when she was twenty three, but Neji and Shikamaru had been pretty heavily involved by the time Shikamaru turned twenty one. Which meant his dating window mostly took place directly after the death of his father and uncle and he was given several thousand lives to oversee while countless politicians tried to sabotage him.

 

He circled back to Shikamaru, wrapping one arm around his middle and gently prying the spoon from the younger jōnin. “I'm sure you brought something into his life,” Neji said, pressing another kiss to Shikamaru's cheek. Unspoken went the fact he'd brought innumerable unnamed things into _Neji's_ life.

 

“I was in a pretty bad place,” Shikamaru said, “though I hid it pretty well. Mom and Chōji knew of course, but I kept myself away from help by burying myself under paperwork.” He shrugged, but didn't try to wriggle out. “Of course, Mozuku had been Inoichi's protege of sorts, so I guess that shared grief and close-together office space was the basis for our relationship,” Neji felt his smile and could tell it wasn't a happy one. “A worse basis for a relationship than you and Nishikori-san,” he said.

 

“It can't have all been bad,” Neji said. Shikamaru rarely discussed this part of his life, and while Neji respected that he didn't want or like to discuss it, since it had come up, he wasn't going to let the chance pass by. Even if it meant playing emotional sounding board.

 

Shikamaru sighed. “It wasn't,” he agreed, “and I don't regret it. Definitely don't want it back, though.” Neji smiled slightly.

 

“Good,” he said. “I turned down a hot date for you.”

 

It was incongruous enough that it earned a laugh and Shikamaru snatched back his spoon, pushing away though Neji knew it wasn't annoyance.

 

“Your mistake,” he joked before spinning around and tugging Neji into a peck of a kiss. “Though I certainly appreciate it.”

 

“You better,” Neji deadpanned, stepping away so he could go back to hunting for easy-to-make food stuff. Shikamaru's snickers reached his ears and he rolled his eyes when he spoke again.

 

“This raises a question though, had you _only_ not-dated women?”

 

“Ridiculous Nara,” he said, pulling some lettuce from the fridge and some carrots. “I am sure my performance over the years speaks for itself.”

 

“So humble,” Shikamaru said, cocking his hip on the counter. “Need me to make a dressing?”

 

“Endlessly, and yes please,” Neji said.

 

He could never in a million years imagine this conversation or even this activity with Kohada, which pretty definitively told him he'd made the right choice. Not that it was much of a choice, really. Shikamaru had an annoying tendency to be a winner despite his years of attempts otherwise. Luckily, Neji was reaping the benefits on this accidental win.

 

"Is that smile for me?" Shikamaru asked as he passed Neji on his way to the fridge. Neji turned slightly, breaking off another leaf of lettuce.

 

"Always."

**Author's Note:**

> So the title is a very round about reference to L.P Harley's The Go-Between which gives us the marvellous and oft quoted first line, _the past is another country, they do things differently there_. As a historian, I love that line and so it gets a nod here!
> 
> And for those of you wondering; Mozuku is a type of edible seaweed and this pairing is literally based of the fact Shikamaru loves seaweed. Well that and the relatively short age gap (both Kohada and Mozuku are personality less one-off characters and both were 19 in part one but I take what I can get, since most characters are either much younger or much older than the K11). Anyway, that's the reason behind Neji's "you dated someone named Mozuku?".


End file.
